KION Group remains on its growth path for 2016 after hitting new highs - focus on innovation and efficiency

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Proposed dividend of EUR0.77 per share - rise of 40 per cent
Increase in order intake, revenue, EBIT[1] and the EBIT[1] margin expected for 2016
Slower growth anticipated in the global market
New highs in 2015 for order intake, revenue, adjusted EBIT and net income
Wiesbaden, 17 March 2016 - After achieving new highs in 2015, the KION Group expects further profitable growth in 2016, despite a forecast slowdown in global market growth. The core market of western Europe is expected to provide significant stimulus, as it did in 2015. Revenue, adjusted EBIT[1] and the value of order intake are expected to rise further. The Company also anticipates that the EBIT[1] margin will increase. In 2016, the priority will be to continue implementing the Strategy 2020 to generate profitable growth. The main areas of focus will be to further advance of connectivity and automation as well as to continue making efficiency gains, especially in product development and production.

The Executive Board and Supervisory Board of the KION Group - one of the world's two largest suppliers of forklift trucks, warehouse technology and associated services - will propose a dividend of EUR0.77 per share to the Annual General Meeting on 12 May 2016, up by 40 per cent on the previous year's dividend. This amount represents a dividend payout ratio of 35 per cent of net income, compared with 31 per cent in the previous year.

In order to provide even greater transparency regarding its own financial expectations, the KION Group is publishing the outlook for its main KPIs in 2016 for the first time on the basis of target ranges, instead of using a qualitative comparison. Specifically, the order intake is expected to be between EUR5.350 billion and EUR5.500 billion. The target figure for consolidated revenue is in the range of EUR5.200 billion to EUR5.350 billion. The KION Group predicts higher volumes of revenue and orders, particularly in western Europe. The targeted range for adjusted EBIT is EUR510 million to EUR535 million. The adjusted EBIT margin is predicted to increase above the margin of 9.5 per cent that was generated in 2015. This improvement will stem from significant positive effects, such as a further increase in the efficiency of the production network. Free cash flow is expected to be in a range between EUR280 million and EUR320 million after taking account of the acquisition